The Bad Batch - One shots

Shirtsleeves

Spoilers for the most recent episode, 'Truth and Consequences'!

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Hunter was tired.

It didn't feel like Coruscant was four days ago.

Four days ago, they lost Echo.

Except they didn't lose him. Echo wasn't dead.

Hunter understood his reasoning for wanting to travel with Rex. He fitted in well with the squad, but he'd known Rex since he was a shiny. The two brothers went way back.

Echo got on well with the Bad Batch, but he wasn't happy doing nothing but running jobs for Cid. He and Hunter had many long discussions (and several arguments) about how they should be using their expertise to help those in need.

Hunter's priority was the safety of the group, especially Omega, and Echo simply felt like he wasn't fulfilling his purpose.

There wasn't anything wrong with that. However, Hunter couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. He had barely gotten over Crosshair's departure, and now he'd said goodbye to Echo. It was like the wound that had almost healed had just been pulled open again.

His departure affected everyone.

Tech had been holed away in the cockpit, making modifications that didn't necessarily need to be made in an effort to distract himself from missing his companion. Wrecker wasn't exactly chipper either and had spent most evenings in Cid's bar, drinking away his sorrows.

Admittedly, Omega was handling Echo's departure the worse.

Hunter should've expected her reaction. Having gone from a loner on Kamino to having a squad of brothers who she spent twenty-four hours a day with was bound to create some sort of trauma bond.

Omega really admired Echo, as a teacher and a friend. He spent the most time with her when she was practicing with her energy bow, or reading up on ship classifications. Echo had a passion for learning and managed to rub that enthusiasm onto the girl.

Echo was a steady presence, a bright candle in a windy storm. If Omega ever got angry or upset, Echo tended to have the best luck at calming her down.

When she sprained her ankle after being trapped on the conveyer belt on Corellia, Echo was the one to wrap the injured joint whilst telling her a story about Fives, his old batchmate, getting trapped in a vent when playing hide and seek with their Commander.

The girl snorted with laughter when Echo mimicked Rex's following lecture about trying to fit into the same small gaps as their tiny and agile Jedi leader.

When Tech had to give her a vaccine when they went to a planet riddled with diseases, Echo held her hand and assured her that Tech would never hurt her like the Kaminoans would.

Perhaps their shared medical trauma made them closer, as both Echo and Omega didn't have anyone but themselves during the darkest periods of their lives.

Since they left Coruscant, the girl had hardly left her gunner's nest. As far as Hunter knew, she hadn't even changed her clothes or brushed her teeth, which he supposed was something he should chase up.

He'd tried to give her space to process Echo's departure, but now it was becoming concerning.

Hunter chewed on a ration bar, mindlessly watching Tech work over the console. Cid hadn't given them any new jobs since they returned, which Hunter couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse.

On one hand, it would take time for them to adjust to missing Echo which could make them vulnerable for a while.

On the other hand, perhaps a distraction was needed to get all of them out of this depressive slump.